Payrolls grew at their fastest pace in the United States in six months as the unemployment rate inched down, according to labor estimates for September.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 254,000 and the jobless rated edged down a tenth of a point to 4.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

Payroll estimates and the jobless rate are based on the results of separate business and household surveys, respectively.

The September payroll gain was the largest since March and exceeded the average monthly gain of 203,000 over the past year.

Initial estimates for payroll increases for the previous two months were revised upward 72,000 to 159,000 for August and 144,000 for July.

For September, 6.8 million people were counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work. Of those, 1.6 million had been out of work 27 weeks or longer — nearly a quarter of all unemployed people.

Another 4.6 million people were counted among those working part-time because their hours were reduced or they were unable to find full-time positions.

The labor participation rate — the proportion of the population working or looking for work remained unchanged at 62.7 percent for a third straight month.

Payroll gains for September were spread out among industry sectors. Employment increased 69,000 at food and drinking places, 45,000 in health care, 27,000 in social assistance and 25,000 in construction. Government payrolls increased 31,000.

The average workweek for employees on private, nonfarm payrolls slipped a tenth of an hour to 34.2 hours. The average manufacturing workweek held steady at 40 hours.

Average hourly earnings for employees on private, nonfarm payrolls increased 13 cents to $35.36. Over the past year, wages increased 4 percent.